A local woman who sued her dentist after he failed to treat an infection before carrying out further treatment has been awarded £5,500 in an out of court settlement.

Maureen Hanney, 68, from Verwood, sued Dr Vasile Bogdan Chiriac, after he failed to treat an infection at one of Maureen’s teeth before placing a post in the tooth whilst practising at Verwood Dental Centre.

“I was in a lot of pain after the post had been fitted”, Maureen said. “I visited a new dentist and was told that root canal treatment had not been carried out before the post had been placed, which is what was causing me so much pain.”

Maureen’s lawyer, Tim Armitage from the UK’s leading specialist dental negligence law firm, the Dental Law Partnership, explained: “Root canal treatment involves removing the nerve and filling and sealing off the root of the tooth to prevent an infection from being able to grow there. We have been advised that Dr Chiriac did not carry out this treatment, leaving a space where bacteria could grow and he then placed a post when the nerve was still present.

“This has led to my client suffering a lot of pain and swelling at the tooth and needing specialist treatment to remove the post and crown and have a remedial root filling.”

Dr Chiriac also provided a poor root filling on another tooth, which left it brittle and led to it fracturing.

Armitage continued: “This tooth will now need to be extracted and Mrs Hanney will require an implant to replace it. Dr Chiriac’s negligence in treating these two teeth has led to my client suffering unnecessary trauma and permanent damage.”

Maureen said: “You never think to question your dentist and it’s upsetting that I trusted mine and then received poor treatment. I’m glad this is settled however, and the money I have received is going toward repairing the damage that has been done.”

Dr Chiriac did not admit liability at the time of settlement but in a letter to the GDC he did express his disappointment with the standard of treatment he provided to Mrs Hanney.